
oczzrjl fol EmocrzDi rol f^ loll^ 



I 
ffl 

o 

D 






AND 



g>agtnp 




Copyrighted 1916. 
BY M. rVIcD. COBB. 



C=JQrZDjf^5] fol [^^III0 1 ) l |CZDi|< 30 » > | [o 



iiisi^ 



INDEX. 



TITLES OF ALL HER WORKS. 



(Copyrighted by M. McT). Cobb, 1916. 
The i\Ierry Masqneraders. 
Win For Wilson and Peace. 
Rally For Wilson. 
Sayings. 

The Prodigal Girl. 
Minnie's Mistake. 
The Sneer, My Dear. 
0, Ye Bitter Winds. 
The Soldier Boy and His Lock of Gray. 
Life's Last Token. 
Did She Do Right To Marry? 
..The Trials of a Widow. 
...••'Ungrateful Woman. 

How Bertha and Bela Were Educated. 

Did You Care? 

The Very Poor. 

The Story of a Good Woman. 



c=ioi=3| f51[^[o][^[o]l<=>| lc=io'^^1 [o 






AND 



g>agtn90 




Copyrighted 1916, 
BY M. McD. COBB. 





fl 

o 

Q 

o 






Q 

o 

Q 

o 

D 

Q 

o 

D 



f— loi— >ll(=r.l[o] lc=3ocr=r )||c3»|R 



THE MERRY MASQUERADERS. 



(M. McD. Cobb, Author, May, 11)1(3. 

Jack and his sister Flossie. 

Arthur and his sisters Marie and Chira. 

Tightwad and his sister. 

Marie and Tightwad were sweethearts. 

Jack and Flossie visit Marie and Clara to invite thein to go 
masquerading. They accept the invitation. Jack and Flos- 
sie leave, asking them to call by that night and join them 
at their house, before visiting Tightwad and his sister. After 
they leave Marie gets busy — goes shopping and buys three 
masks, also some large flowered curtam goods to make her 
brother Arthur's suit to wear that night, while ]\larie and 
Clara wore suits belonging to their brother. Later they 
are dressed up ready to go — they get on street car and get 
off at Jack's and his sister's house. They have music and 
dancing and entertain friends who Avere there, tho tlie mas- 
queraders were a surprise to them. They decide to call on 
Mr. Tightwad and his sister, which they did. It was a sur- 
prise to them also, but they enjoyed music and dancing, and 
as they left Mr. Tightwad's house, Marie forgets herself 
and kisses Mr. Tightwad's sister good-bye, not thinking 
about her clothes being a mans. Mrs. Tightwad (his 
mother) said Maria was no gentleman (which was too true) 
and Mr. Tightwad 's sister was terrified, thinking a man had 
kissed her. Tightwad followed them, saying he was going 
.1^o;find out who the fresh kid was and give him a thrashing, 
^i^orie — in disguised voice told him to go on back home and 
they would settle it next day. Tightwad would not give in. 
i\larie ran, but he follov/ed her to her own door, when she 
unmasked and told him she v/ould never forgive him or go 
with him any more, and that she would get even with him. 
He begged forgiveness. She went into the house slamming 
the door in his face, while he stands out there. Tightwad 
married later, so did Marie to a Mtr. Griffin and this is how 
she got even ten years later. ^ 



0CI.A4313O4 

MAY 31 1916 



Mrs. (jii'ill'iii, (a coiorcd white woman) and lier daughter 
Elsie. 

Mr. Tightwad, Mrs. Grili'in's iormer beau. 
"~ Mrs. McDonald, music teacher. 

Arthur McDonald, Mrs. Griliin's brother.* 

Aunt Tildy, the cook. 

The maid at Mr. McDonald's — Jane. 

Mrs. Griffin's husband leaves home for an auto lido. LIrs. 
Griffin plans to visit Mrs. McDonald's studio in disguise to 
see how her daughter Elsie was progressing in music. Mrs. 
Griffin phones to Mrs. McDonald and tells of her plan to 
visit her studio, saying she would be disguised as an old 
colored woman. Mrs. McD. answ^ers phone. Mrs. Grittm 
phones her brother Arthur McD. and tells of her plans to 
visit his home that P. M. in disguise. Mrs. G. after finish- 
ing her phoning tells her cook, Tildy, she wanted to borrov\^ 
one of her dresses and old ffy bonnet. She goes home, bring- 
ing clothes back in basket, gives them to Mrs. G. and hopes 
they'll fit her. 

Mrs. Griffin tells Tildy to go get all the eggs in the 
nests. Mrs. G. dresses in cook's dress and bonnet and blacks 
her face and hands, and Tildy comes in with about a dozen 
eggs. Mrs. Griffin tells Tildy to go get some cotton seed 
to fill the basket with. Mrs. G. has basket most full of cot- 
ton seed and puts the eggs on top so as to look like a basket 
full of eggs. Then Mrs. G. puts on bonnet, pulling it low 
over her eyes she looks in the mirror once more then tells 
Tildy if Mr. Griffin should come before her return to tell 
him to join her at her brother's A. MbDonald. 

Out Mrs. Griffin goes looking like an old darkey for 
sure. She struts like a proud old coon till she met by 
chance her old beau, Mr. Tightwad, just leaving his home, 
looking around at Mrs. G. and she fearing he might recog- 
nize her. She w^alks mighty lame in one foot. Mr. Tight- 
wad says auntie, how much do you want for those eggs if I 
take the whole basketfuU. Mrs. G. says anything boss — a 
little sumthin' to eat will do. Mr. T. tells auntie (Mrs. G.) 
to wait at the gait and he will go in and see if there's any- 
thing to eat left from dinner. Mrs. G. (after Mr. Tightwad 



gets out of sight) — slveedaddles as fast as she eaii ru]i down 
tlie street and around the corner, vrhen an old colored man 
made goo goo eyes at her and walked up to her and says to 
Mrs. G. where are you going with those eggs. Mrs. G. takes 
an egg and chunked him with it, saying its none of your busi- 
ness. About that time she w^as near the studio. Mrs. G. 
knocks at studio. Mrs. McD. comes to door. ]\Irs. G. bows 
gracefully and asked Mrs. Mc. D. if she didn't want to hiiy 
her basket of eggs. Mrs. McD. says she does not today. 
I\Irs. G. asked Mrs. McD. to let that little girl play some 
and she would dance for her. Mrs. j\IcD. tells Elsie to 
play a piece for the colored woman, which she does, and 
said it shore was good music — thank you little Miss — and 
says good bye. 

Mr. Tightwad comes out of his house and looks up the 
street — having a i:)late of something to give Auntie. He 
looks again and wonders where Auntie got to. He sees her 
afar off and she was crossing the street nearly in front of 
Mr. McDonald's house, and walks up pretty fast to catch 
her. Mr. Griffin comes riding in auto nearly running over 
]Mrs. Griffin. He thought she v.-as a colored woman. Mr. 
Griffin gets out of auto to go in Mr. McDonald's house and 
spoke to Auntie. i\Ir. Tightwad walks up to Mr. Griff'in 
and spoke about the eggs and asked her to wait and he 
would see her later. Mr. TightAvad and Mr. Griffin go on in 
Mr. McDonald's house and into the parlor to visit and play 
cards with some vistiors who had gone to spend the P. M. 
Mrs. (Tildy) G. rings door bell. The maid goes to the door 
and knowing about the disguise tells Mrs. Griffin to come 
into the tea room w^here they w^ere serving hot chocolate. 

^ Mr. McDonald tells his company this is old Aunt Tildy and 
'cAn out dance any coon in town and Mrs. McD. asked Aunt 

''Tildy (Mrs. G.) to dance some for them and show them if its 
so. Aunt Tildy (Mrs. G.) dances like a real coon. When 
she stops Mrs. McD. pours her a cup of hot chocolate. Aunt 
Tildy drinks it — smacks her lips and says that sho' am 
good coffee. Mr. Tightwad asked (Mrs. G.) Aunt Tildy 
if she had sold those eggs. She says no honey< — ^wait till I 
come in Avith the eggs. Mrs. G. goes out, Avashes up and 



dresses in evening dress, takes basket of eggs in the parlor 
and says to Mr. Tightwad, there are the eggs and the same 
woman who danced like a coon, I will make you a present 
of them. All looked surprised. Mrs. G. said it Avas a joke. 
Mr. Tightwad exits — has important business to attend to 
at once. Meets her next day and dodges her. 

The End. 



WIN FOR WILSON AND PEACE. 



In view of the lateness of the hour, 
I shall omit questions of the day, 
As time strengthens friendships power. 
When lost in darkness we greet the day 
When Woodrow Wilson always right and never wrong, 
Rules vdth might, till the voice of God 
Bears record of Peace restored. 
For we need him, we need him. 
We '11 take him by the hand ; 
No weapon formed against him 
Will ever pierce his hand. 
Peace shall thy officers be 
'Till brass turns to gold — 
To bring our brothers home and peace to ^Mexico, 
For we need him, we need him. 
We'll take him by the hand; 
No weapons formed against him 
Shall ever reach our happy land. 

For he that overcometh shall rule with might}^ hand. 
Then make bare thine arm, extend the reign of Peace 
And make our scattered remnant an inspiration 
Never to cease : And let your votes be for Wilson, 
^iever.to eea^e: And let your votes be f or Wilse*i 
And Peace ! Peace ! Peace ! 
For we need him, we need him, 
We '11 take him by the hand ; 
No weapon formed against him 
Shall ever pierce his hand. 



RALLY FOR WILSON. 



Every time I go away, 

You can hear the good folk say : 

We don't want any Bull Moose or Teddy Bear. 

Ybu'd better look ahead and prepare, 

Than look back and regret. 

All our neighbors are young married folk — 

I sometimes think with great regret, 

What might have been but isn't yet. 

We want to live to see the day, 

All our boys will work as well as play ; 

For foodstuffs so high, we must grow, 

Alore plump spring chickens for Woodrow. 



SAYINGS. 



If you ever get caught in a matrimonial noose 

Don't blame me. Haven't you any close relations? 

* * * 

Sweetheart of mine, won't you be mine? 

I've decided to propose in the summer time. 

* * * 

I'll be yours since you suggested it, but if I don't turn 
out to be all you expected of me, 
You'll have to blame yourself. 

* *: * 

Matrimony sho am de proper life for folks. 
My husband keeps plenty chickens on hand. 

But I'm mighty skeered he's gwine ter get ketched ai it, 

* # «: 

If you want to rise in this world and make a name for 
yourself 

Go sit on a tack, and if you don't rise again you're a dead 
one. 

If you build your nest near a hornets nest, don't blame 

me if you get stung, but show me. 

* « ^ 

If you don't want to be shocked in this world shut your 
eyes, stop your ears and don't sit on a live wire. 
For if you do, you'll never rise again. 



10 s 



THE PRODIGAL aiRL. 



They picture his Father with pardoning power, 

His welcome to the Prodigal son, i 

But what about the Prodigal girl? 

She may return, but he shuts the door in her face, 

Her sins are not forgiven, society scoffs at her name. 

Like Father, like son, he only inherited his shame 

And if you're no angel yourself, the poor girl isn't to 

blame. 

Then open wide the bolted door, judge not, be merciful 

and just, 
And when you meet Saint Peter at the Gate 
Don't expect him to turn yon i^, 
unless you have asked pardon for your sin, 
Against your daughter, at your gate. 
Don't let it be said with tears and sighs— 
That the pardon came to late. 
What if that voice you should hear no more 
Saying, Father, dear Father, open the door, 
Father, dear Father kiss me ere I go : 
Little did I think when I returned to you 
I wQVil^i fiftd a bolted dpor^ and no ho?ne, 



n 



MINNIE'S MISTAKE. 



The first mistake I ever made, the day that I was born, 

I danced upon my papa's knee. 

At four years old I walked on papa's toes, 

Instead of walking on my own. 

At six, I sat upon my papa's knee and pinched all who 
tried to sit upon his lap. 

At seven my papa takes a nap, 

And with great big scissors, 1 did crap 

Just one side of his mustache — and, 

When he awoke and kissed me, it didn't feel so bad on 
my face — but 

When he looked into -the glass, and saw what 1 had done, 
lie Avent and cut a great big switch. 

But it didn't hurt my face — you bet — 
For the next thing I knew he was! kissing me with some- 
thing that never had any mustache. 

He used a knife to cut it with, and when he started to 
kiss me again, I didn't kiss much. 

But I sure did run — you bet ! 



12 



THE SNEER' MY DEAR. 



There is not so much in what you say, my dear, 
As in the way you say it. 
There's many sneers ending with, My Dear, 
If you could only understand them. 
When you chunk a poor hungry dog my dear, 
Pray don't chunk him with a bone. 
If you have no meat to give, my dear, 
Take a lesson from the dog and leave home. 
And if your neighbor has no meat to give, 
How would you like a bone? 
When next you see a poor hungry dog 
Plodding all alone, if you have nothing to give. 
Just pat him on the head, give a word of cheer 
For it won 't cost you half as much in the end. 
God bless you ; And if you think the poor dog has gone 
his length in sin, 

And you should meet St. Peter and he lets You in. 

Waste no time but go back and ask — 

Why he let you In? He knows — yes. He knows. 

He came into this world to save sinners. 

And had you not been a sinner too, 

He would not have saved you. 

He saves by grace — as he has saved you 

And not by aught that you can do. 

Jesus saves, yes, Jesiis sayes. 



13 



0, YE BITTER WINDS. 



I dare to open mine eyes 

Just for the merest peep : 

The lids would not obey 

My will to open them more. 

The voice of love is calling us 

From the wilderness; 

Shall we go to meet it 

With eyes cruely shut 

Till our lips are frozen over? 

We float in a heavenly vision, 

While our friends ridicule and discredit us, 

Stay at a distance and slander us — 

Stay in the sunshine w^here its less trouble to be good 

While under the clouds and shadows, 

The fairest flowers grow, unwithered, 

To deck the grave of dearest friend or foe. 

Then, 0, ye friends and bitter winds, 

Welcome the flowers, we are your friends 

Till dust to dust — our journey ends. 



14 



THE SOLDIER BOY AND HIS LOCK OF GRAY, 



Picture a home with the ivy creeping round, 

Picture the gioom when Jack is not around; 

Weeping, sad and alone, hoping it won't be long 

Before Jack's footsteps I hear upon 

The doorsteps his boyhood knew. 

Return to my arms, my brave sad heart : 

You have carelessly wandered where I did not know. 

Like a rose I'll still remain to die among the thorns. 

The voice of dread — the pebbles may flow, 

But with the courage that never dies, 

Down the hilly rock strewn way, 

May God's angels guide and bless you. 

In your suit of gray. 
I havei just received a letter, and Jack went on to say: 
Mother, sister and sweetheart dear, bid your fears and 
doubting cease. 

Sweet peace has come, we do not feai^ the foe. 

We are marching on to victory; we are marching homo. 

We will rest where the steps of Jesusi end at his throne ; 

For there's no place on earth like, Home, Sweet Home. 

We'll never say good-bye again to go on foreign shore; 

And tho' thrice lost and wounded in the fray, 

Next to my heart I still wear^ — 

Mother's little Lock of Grav. 



fS 



LIFE'S LAST TOKEN. 



Briefly, I will tell you the story of two loving hearts: 
The odds were against us, the dice Avere loaded true; 
We were chaff in the tempest. 
To-night I am lonely,, sad and blue, 
For I'm thinking sweetheart of you. 
My one love who sleeps over the river 
Far away, there in the graveyard they laid her, 
Under the weeping willow and white stone. 
She's resting, with the kiss of blessed peace i*ii3on her 
brow. 

Her parting smile, she wears it still, 

It was her answer to my promise. 

Bless her trusting soul, she had faith 

That we shall meet again. 

Among the flowers and the wildwood. 

In a home among the stars. 

Will she know me as she knew me - ' 

In the days when we were young? 

She promised and I will meet her 

As Avhen we parted; and she shall know me 

As she knew me, in the days when we were young. 

When first her burning cheek fell limp against my own, 

I kissed her in her shining hair, and spoke the words 

That shall stand uiunoved against the wrath of Man: 

' ' I will be true ! ' ' — She is waiting for me. 

And I am going home. 



16 



DID SHE DO RIGHT TO MARRY. 



Woodman, spare that tree ! 

Touch not a single bough. 

In youth it sheltered me — 

And I'll protect it now. 

Mother feels the loss of the girl since she married, but 
she should spare that tree ; if it needs the waters of life 
which she can not give, it will wither and fade away. 

Dear mother, you feel the loss keenly, but suppose the 
girl should pine away, or lose her health, so she can't take 
care of you, who will take care of her? And if shp marries, 
who will take care of you, you ask. Bear with the girl, 
and she will bearl with you; she is the judge,, tho' you are 
her mother, there are times you do not and cannot feel for 
her. 

When an apple is ripe, it will fall toj the ground, the tree 
doesn't blame the applets — and do you? 

It is better that some one picks up the apple, than let the 
worms eat it. It is better for an apple to fall to the 
ground, than to be knocked off the tree when its green. 

When an apple falls of its OAvn accord, its either good 
to eat or worm eaten; and if its not worm eaten, the seed 
of the good apple will grow more trees. 

Dear mother, the tree never should think hard of the 
apple for falling, for it would do the tree no good if it 
stayed on the limb, and when it falls to the ground it does 
the tree no harm. So remember the future needs more 
trees. God will take care of you. 



17 



THE TRIALS OF A WIDOW. 

(Copyrighted by M. Mc. D. Cobb.) 

Characters : 
Mr. Harper. 

Mrs. Harper and her mother. 
Mina — her father's favorite — S years old. 
Bessie — her mother's favorite — ^5 years old. 
Elsie — oldest daughter — 11 ye^srs old. 
Carl — the baby — 2 years old. 
Supt. of Orpahiis Homefc— Dr. White. 
Rev. Lyon. 

The Harpers live in a lovely country home. Mr. Harper 
runs a country store and a large farm. He hires a musician 
from Texas — named Pat. They entertain friends in the 
oak grove, benches under each tree, also a long table full 
of melons and fruits. Mr. Harper receives a telegram say- 
ing his father was dead. He goes to the funeral, leaving 
the others to enjoy the evening. When Mr. Harper starts 
back home, the tide is up, and the bridge under water, so 
he left his horse on the other side of the creek and ha^l to 
swini across. The eii'ects of ths tiresome trip home, laid 
him up : he was taken with typhoid fever. Pat returns to 
Texas. Six weeks later Mr. Harper died, all the children 
were out at play and the nurse goes out and tells them their 
father is dead. They all come in and kiss his face. Mina 
says Papa don't die now, and pulls his hand. He doesn't 
move, so she wept bitterly, and wouldn't go to see her papa 
put in the ground. Mrs. Harper sends for her mother — 
she came. Next day they missed Mina. Her grandmother 
heard her behind the barn, and went to look her, and Mina 
was laying iiat on her face telling her papa that no one 
petted her since he left — and begs "Papa please come 
back." Then her grandma slips up, seeing Mina, asked her 
what she was doing, she said she was talking to papa loud 
so he could hear. Mina gets up and goes into the house 
with grandma's arm around her. A day or two after Mr. 
Harper's death, Mrs. Harper excused her maid and cook, 

18 



and then goes visiting. Mrs. Harper and her mother and 
nurse take the baby and ail go to visit Judge Russell \s 
home, about a mile away, and left Mina and Elsie at home. 
While Mrs. Harper was away, a terrific storm arose, and 
lightning Hashed and everything was darkened. Elsie and 
Mina had never seen such a sight before, as their mother 
always put them to bed when a cloud arose, and they slept 
till it was over; never knowing anything about it. They 
were terrified and thought the bad man had come, and both 
hid themselves in a large box till it was over. When they 
went out in the yard they saw a large tree had been blown 
down, and wondered how it happened. Mrs. Harper and 
Mother, nurse and baby returned after the storm, and ask- 
ed Elsie and Mina what they did when the storm came up. 
They told her, and she was right much amused at the idea. 
Next day Mrs. Harper calls the servants and tells them 
she won't need them any more after to-morrow as she was 
going to break up house keeping and go live with her 
mother. Furniture is all packed up. They bade the ser- 
vants good-bye, and rode away in a carriage. Arrive at 
destination. Mrs. Harper's sister meets them as they all 
came in. Months pass. Mrs. Harper teaches school and 
was a strict teacher. She sends Mina out after som^e switch^ 
es. She tried them on her own legs to see if they hurt. She 
found one about a foot long and took it to her mother, 
and Mrs. Harper slaps her and tells her to go sit down — r 
calls Elsie to her and says go get some switches. She brought 
an armful as large as she could get, she thought her mother 
wouldn't use them, on that account. Takes them to her 
mother — they suit, and Mrs. Harper says put them in the 
corner, and all the children behave that never behaved be- 
fore. School is up. Mrs. Harper takes vacation with rela- 
tives. When she returned she found out her sister had 
w^hipped Elsie and Mina both, to be sure she w;hipped the 
right one for breaking the comb. So, Mrs. Harper was an- 
gry. She made arrangements to send them to an Orphans 
Home. Mrs. Harper's uncle sent some cloth to make the 
children some clothes. Mrs. Harper promptly returns it, 
saying sHe needed none of his assistance. So Elsie and 

49 



Mina were leaving for orphans home. Mrs. Harper pins a 
card on each one, with name and destination written tliere- 
on. Good-byes are said. Dr. White met them at destina- 
tion. It was snowing furiously. They were given their 
room. Their clothes which were very nice were taken from 
them, and they were given plain dresses and gingham ap- 
rons. Their hair was cut first thing. Mina didn't like for 
so many strange looking girls to be gazing at her, and she 
goes and hides under the bed, holds her breath and tries 
to die, but couldn't. Next day she was missed and couldn't 
be found; she had climbed up some steps by the dome that 
reached the top of the building and stayed as long as she 
wanted to. When she came down her teacher asked her 
why her dress was so rusty. She told her she had been on 
top of the house, the tin was rusty. They always picl^ at a 
new girl till they are made to quit. They picked and teased 
Mina until she made up her mind to put a stop to it. She 
took a broom-stick and beat every one that messed w4th 
her. They go and tell the teacher, and she asked Mina 
about it, and told Mina she didn't blame her. As the teacher 
was an old school mate of Mina's mother she didn't go un- 
der the bed or on the house top any more, for they were 
glad to let her alone. After that Mina was her teacher's pet. 
That night the teacher takes Mina to spend the night in her 
own room. She stayed a few night in the teacher's room, 
then made up her mind to not do so any miore, as she didn't 
like for the teacher to play with her curly head. The) next 
night the teacher comes upstairs to get Mina to sleep with 
her again and she gets in bed, and pretends to be asleep. 
The next night she heard the teacher coming up stairs for 
her again. Mina ran and jumped in bed with clothes and 
shoes on, and the slats all fell in, still Mina pretends to be 
sound asleep. The teacher couldn't wake her, so went down 
stairs, then Mina got up and fixed the slats by the help of 
another girl. A few days later the teacher resigned, and 
Mina was so glad, she laughed until she cried, and as the 
tears were falling, the teacher saw her and asked her why 
she was crying. She says because you are going to leave. 
She pats Mina's head and kisses her good-bye and goes to 

20 



the depot, while Miiia was crying for dear life. Mina and 
Mattie, her bed mate, made a plan to take it by turns to 
make the bed up and when it was Mina's time to make, up 
the bed Mattie wouldn't get up until the prayer bell rang, 
and they both were demerited. IMina got tired of this and 
after that pulled Mattie out of bed by the hair until she 
broke her of the habit. As the teacher inspects the rooms, 
while the children eat breakfast, they had to be in order. 
But Mina and Mattie were good friends after that. 

One day Mina w^as sick and the teacher refused to ex- 
cuse her from school, so Mina planned a way — she would 
take a stran of hair from the girls head who sat in front of 
her, and pull just enough to make it itch so she would 
scratch. The teacher saw her scratching, so said she would 
have head combing that morning, and every one caught 
scratching their head was told to stay in while the rest 
were excused. The matron left the kitchen awhile to sit 
out in the cool breeze, and seeing Mina close by, told her to 
go tell the girl in the kitchen to baste the beef. Mina went 
straight for the sewing room and asked for the largest 
needle they had and a coarse stran of thread, not saying 
what she wanted with it. She goes in the kitchen and lays 
the needle down on the table and waited a minute, and told 
the girl to baste the beef. She opened the stove and mop- 
ped it and shut the stove door and then sat down, and Mina 
says, why don't you baste the beef. She told Mina she had 
just done so, saying didn't you see me — Mina then learned 
the first stitch. 

A year passed — warm weather and time to have hair 
cutting. Mina stays out of the way and keeps her hair 
pinned close to her head so her hair won't be noticed. Next 
day Mina was thirteen years old. The singing class was 
gotten up to tour the State, and Mina was one of them. An 
old maid accompanied them on the trip. Every where they 
go, people ask who the curly headed girl was, because she 
was very beautiful, red cheeked and had big blue eyes. The 
class were returning back to the Orphans Home, but as they 
gave their last performance and were at the depot, a boy 
sent Mina his card with his name on it. The teacher saw 

81 



it and tares it up. She sent for a barber to go to the hotel 
and has Mina's hair cut. And as he had cut only one side 
of her hair, she jumped out of the chair and runs, then de- 
cided to let him finish. They go to the train and for the 
Orpahns Home) — the tour was ended. Some months later 
liev. Mr. Lyon came to the orphans home to find a girl to 
adopt and chose Mina. Dr. White wrote Mrs. Harper about 
it. She answered and says, when she leaves there send her 
to me, but said Mina could go stay awhile, and she did. 

Mina was met at the station by ]Mr. Lyon and taken to 
his home in a carriage. Mrs, Lyon met her and made lier 
acquainted with the six children, all boys but the baby. The 
next morning they had family prayer in the dining room, 
the two oldest boys came down the stairsteps with their 
shoes in their hand and eyes half open and go sit down for 
prayers and no longer that Amen was said — those boys were 
fussing and *!igh ting. After breakfast Mrs. Lyon and Mina 
go in the garden and pick snaps and tomatoes for dinner. 
After dinner Mrs. Lyon takes a ride. Tvvo oldest children 
at school. Mina takes two youngest children out to walk 
and one, 6 years old, said a bad word and Mina told Mrs. 
Lyon on her return. Mrs. Lyon gets a cloth and w^ets it 
and puts pepper and salt on it and rubs the child's tongue 
off, but it done no good. She put him in the closet and 
that did no good. A week or two passed and Mrs. Lyon 
tore up an old dress of hers and made Mina a dress. It made 
Mina feel bad to think of it. Mnia goes to the church and 
dusts off all the seats. Another week passes. Mrs. Lyon 
goes for a drive and leaves Mina home with th© children. 
Mina is homesick. She found a stamped envelope and 
wrote her mother how she was treated and Mrs. Harper 
was very angry to find out her daughter was treated as a 
servant. She wrote Dr. White to send IMina home. He an- 
swered and said she could not go until her time was out. 
Mina goes back to the orphans home. Her duty was to 
clean up the parlor as teacher's beau was coming that P. 
M. There was a nice fire in the heater. ]\Iina puts some 
pepper on it to see if they wouldn't sneeze. She heard them 
coming and gets behind the piano. The teacher sneezes, 

22 



ind decided to go out in the i'resli air. Miua comes out. 
^tudy hour bell rang, so she runs up stairs to school room. 
:5everal days later Mina was cleaning and dusting the par- 
or. Dr. White's wash-woman came to get her pay and she 
isked Mina if Dr. White was in his oltice. Mina replied 
:hat he was. 

The colored woman went to the oiiice door and peeped 
through the keyhole in the door, and saw Dr. White kiss- 
ng one of the teachers. She points linger at Mina to come 
:here and whispered For de Lords sake honey look what 
iem white folks is doin. Mina peeps, looks around at 
A.untie, then starts to look again and Dr. White opens the 
ioor and caught Mina peeping. The teacher left. 

Dr. White calls Mina in the office and gives her a lecture 
to never let him catch her peeping again. He appoints an- 
other girl to clean up the parlor and sends Mina to stay in 
the dining room to slice bread and help wash dishes. A 
week later she was put in the kitchen to help and the other 
girl in the kitchen kept going in the bakery and running on 
with the boy who baked the light bread, so Mina kept telling 
her to come out and Mina went in with a stick and made 
her come out, and told the matron about it. 

Mrs. Harper wrote to Dr. White if Mina had gone back 
and he answered that she had, and that she iiad been 
Qiighty smart. Shortly Mina was invited to a picnic by 
a girl in town. She asked Dr. White to let .Mina go, so he 
consented. They go and enjoy themselves. Some lish while 
Mina was walking on an old mill wheel and it turned and 
Mina went down in the water up to her neck. She went 
to the girls home and dried her clothes. A week later Dr. 
White then decided to let Mina go home. The mail boy 
brought a letter from Mrs. Harper's brother with a check 
for Mina's ticket, and she jumps for joy. All the girls 
gather around I\Iina and don't want her to leave. That night 
several sat up with Mina until midnight and cry and talk. 
Next morning they wouldn't let ^Mina clean up her room, 
the girls did it for her, and at prayer service they sang 
this song: 

Good-bye, good-bye, we hope again to meet you. May 

23 



Christ our Saviour lead us in heavenly pastures, feed us, 
and bring us home no more to roam forever more to lead us. 

Good-bye, good-bye, we hope again to meet you. 

After breakfast Mina played several gamJes of croquet 
before going to depot. Mina arrived home after a nine 
hours ride, and was met by her uncle and sister. Mother and 
brother meet them at the door. Mina never was so happy — - 
she wanted to take a look all over the house and did, and 
as her mother looks up at the clock it was twenty minutes 
past seven. Her mother says to Mina, its the hour that you 
were born. They have supper at once which was enjoyed 
the most by Mina, as she got one more bait of milk. After 
supper they go into the parlor and look at pictures in the 
album, and Bessie plays the piano and sings. Mina sings 
a song, ''Thou art drifting," that she sung at the orphans 
home. Mina was happy, her mother took her out driving 
next day. Soon she discovered her mother was partial to 
Bessie. Bessie left to spend the summer with relatives. 

Mrs. Harper missed some jewelry and w^ent home close 
behind the cook and saw the jewelry box on her dresser, so 
she turns her off. Mina then tries the cooking. Takes her 
mother's breakfast up to her room every morning, and a hot 
foot-bath for her mother every night. Her mother goes for 
early morning ride for her health. Soon Bessie came home 
from her visit and she and her mother go to ride after din- 
ner. Next day Bessie accepted a position as saleslady. On 
Sunday P. M. Mina, Bessie and Carl go to Sunday school, 
their mother is out riding and passed them on their way 
back home, two boys came along from church with them 
and as soon as they get into the parlor and take their seats 
Carl started to play for the boys to sing, when Mrs. Harper 
drove up and went to the parlor door and pointed her fin- 
ger at Mina and says take yourself upstairs, then points to 
Bessie and says, take yourself upstairs. They went and 
mother gets bible and goes right up stairs too and gives 
them several chapters to read and locks them up in the 
room, and goes down. She gave her son a stern look and 
his companions left. Then Mrs. Harper gets a whip and 
starts for Carl and he runs around the house and climbs 

. 24 



Upon the top of the kitchen and was not found. Next morn- 
ing' Bessie asked Carl to hitch the horse up and take her to 
her work, as the colored boy had not arrived, lie refused 
and told her to get on the street car. Bessie goes up to her 
mothers room and tells her about it. She sent for Carl and 
Mina to come up to her room. They went and Mrs. Harper 
with a buggy whip in her hand points it at Carl and says, 
the next time Bessie tells you to hitch up you do it, then 
pulls a stool chair up to her, tells him to come there. He does 
and she says take hold of the rounds of the chair with both 
hands. He did. Then she tells iMina to hold his hands. IShe 
barely touches them, hoping her brother would run, but he 
took it like a man and never flinched. Then Mrs. Harper 
says to Carl, now go down and hitch up. He does, and 
takes Bessie to the store Several days later Mrs. Harper 
has Bessie to quit clerking, as her feet hurt after standing- 
on them all day. Later Mrs. Harper takes Bessie up town 
shopping and buys her some new slippers and sashes, after 
they leave, Mina weeps and moans like her heart would 
break, to think she had to wear her mothers old shoes, and 
the girls would make fun of her at Sunday school because 
she wore Bessie's clothes, and had no sash at all, but one 
and it was narrow and a small bow behind. Mina straight- 
ens her face before her mothers return. Mrs. Harper re- 
turns. She and Bessie were admiring their purchase. Mina 
stood by looking on wishfully, but not saying a word. Mrs. 
Harper tells Mina to go fix supper. Next P. M. Mina was 
sitting on the front porch reading a paper and had a pencil 
in her hand. An insurance agent passed who liked Mina's 
looks and came up to the porch, standing on the outside 
and spoke 4o Mina. Mina wanted him to go on, so wrote 
on a piece of paper and said mother is near. As he turns 
around to leave her mother is in the door, and comes and 
picks up the paper and says, what is this? Mina says its a 
song I know. Her mother! says I'd like to see it. Write it off 
for me. She did. Here it is : 

Rockaby baby in the tree top. 

When fhe wind blows the cradle will rock, 



When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, 
Then down will come, hnsaby cradle and all. 
Then rockaby, rockaby, mother is near, 
Then rockaby, rockaby, nothing to fear, 
For angels of heaven are hovernig near. 
Then rockaby baby. Mother is near. 

Mother returns and asked if she had written the song. 
jMina handed it to her to read. She read it and was satis- 
fied. She tells Mina to go feed the goldfish and canary.. 
She did, and puts canary in the dining room window for a 
sun bath, and went to fix supper. Soon a stray cat jumps 
in the window, knocks the cage out of the window and ca- 
nary gets out, so Mrs. Harper has hysterics and raises cain 
with Mina. Next day Mina and Bessie go to take their 
music lessons and on their return home Mina sprains her 
ankle." Bessie won't Avait for her, and gets home before 
Mina does. When Bessie arrives home she goes stright to 
her mother's room. Her mother asked why she got home 
first. She said' Mina couldn't keep up with her, and never 
said a word about her sprained ankle. So when Mina came, 
her mother chastises her for not being home sooner, and 
never lets her explain. Mina goes dov/n stairs, and as she 
and Bessie were in their room changing clothes, Mina was 
angry at Bessie for causing her mother to fuss with her, 
and took her corset and gave Bessie a few licks with it. 
Bessie ran up stairs and told her mother. She sent for 
Mina and said she had better never put the weight of her 
finger on Bessie again. 

Next day a poor wom^an came in with some peanut candy 
she made to sell, and wanted to buy a quart of milk for her 
sick mother. Mina goes and brings a pitcher full, and gave 
it to her and refused pay. Bessie steps in and runs up -as 
she received the milk and takes some candy for pay, but 
Mina never said a word for fear it would cause trouble. 

One day Mrs. Harper missed a gold piece of money and 
lays it to Mina, but after awhile it was found in Bessie's 
trunk. 

Next day Prof. Black calls on Mrs. Harper to know if 

26 



ihe will send one of lier danghters to his college. Mrs. Har- 
per decides to send Bessie. Prof. left. News gets out that 
Bessie was going away and a girl friend knowing how 
strict Mrs. Harper was, plans to give a ball and call it a 
3andy pulling. Agnes calls at Mrs. Harpers and invites 
Mina and Bessie to her home that P. M. for tea, saying they 
ivould have a candy pulling afterward. Mrs. Harper gave 
;ier consent and Mina and Bessie leave with Agnes. After tea 
the secret was disclosed that they were going to a ball in- 
stead. They go, and time passes quickly, and as they had 
promised to be home at 10 o'clock. Mina frequently asked 
the time but no one tells the correct time, always saying it 
was early yet, until it was 11 :30 when they left, their uncle 
iiad come to accompany them home. Arriving at home they 
found all the doors locked and they tried to get in the 
kitchen window, and as they were getting in knocked over 
pots and pans, making a loud noise and the dog barks and 
wakes Mrs. Harper. She comes down and found out why 
they were so late, and goes back up stairs to bed. At 2 A. 
M. Mina was awakened by a loud breathing and chewing 
L'ight at her head, and was frightened. She feels of Bessie 's 
eyes to (3«&e if she is awake and pinches and^ pulls, then feels) 
her eyes again, they were opened. Mina eases off the bed, 
pulling Bessie, she follows, and up stairs they flew to tell 
their mother. Mrs. H^arper came down w^ith pistol in her 
hand, goes to the room and turns on the light, to find the 
cows head in the window that opened in the bathroom and 
the bathroom door which opened in back yard had been left 
open. Mrs. Harper goes back to her room. The girls come 
down and go to sleep, to w^ake up next A. Mj to find out a 
real burglar had been and had stolen a ham and a tub of 
sausage, and left every door down stairs wide open. 

Mrs. Harper gives farewell reception the night before 
Bessie went away. She arrives at college next P. M. and 
writes home for canvas and paint as she was taking art 
lessons. It was sent at once. A month later Bessie writes 
for new slippers. Mrs. Harper sends them. Bessie receives 
and opens -them, and slams the slippers down on the floor,, 
saying she didm't want cat fish toes. She sent for more, 

• 8T 



They were received. They were raiser toes; — they suited, 
boon Bessie receives a letter from mother saying, Mina was 
to be married. Bessie answers 9t once and says don't let 
her get married. Mrs. Harper decides to break it up. A 
letter came for Mina, and her mother reads and burns it at 
once, and wrote and said Mina had changed her mind about 
marrying you and is engaged to another. He thought it 
true, so wrote no more. Mina watches for the postman and 
wonders why she can't hear from him. 

The week before Bessie's return from College Mrs. Har- 
per visits a sculptor and gives him Bessie's photograph with 
orders to make a wax figure just like it. Bessie at college 
one hot night takes her music lesson in her "night-tie." She 
hears teacher and her beau coming and she slips behind 
the piano; teacher heard her snicker and looks behind the 
piano and saw her in her gown so she and beau go for c\ 
walk, while Bessie resumes her lessons. The day before 
Bessie's return from college, Mrs. Harper and Mina in a 
carriage goes to the sculptors. Mrs, Harper goes in and 
pays him and has the figure securely wrapped, and has it 
put in the carriage and warns Mina to be careful with it. 
She didn't know what it was, but said nothing. That night 
Mrs. Harper sends a little round table and a screen into the 
loarlor and takes the figure and places it on the table with 
a white veil hanging over it. All this time Mina was fixing 
supper and didn't know until next A. M. while her mother 
was gone to the depot to meet Bessie, Mina took a look in- 
to the parlor, and was much surprised and grieved to know 
her mother paid so much for idols, instead of buying her 
some nice clothes. 

Mrs. Harper and Bessie arrive from depot. Bessie and 
Mina embrace. Bessie takes a bath, changes her clothes, 
and her mother invites her into the parlor to sing the song 
"Calvary," that she sang in church Sunday before she went 
to college and as Bessie sings the last sentence, "I will not 
forsake thee tho all else should fiee," her mother is cry- 
ing — as they turn around to leave the parlor Mrs. Harper 
removes the screen that hid the figure and Bessie was pleas- 
^ntl;7 surprised and kisses her mother. Next P. M. mother 

28 



tind daughters go to Ocean VieAv and met an old acquaint- 
ance who made them acquainted with a travelling man 
named Chase, who represented the weekly Paladium. Next 
day he calls at Mrs. Harper's and found the girls were 
gone. He tells Mrs. Harper he loved Mina at first sig^ht, 
and wanted to marry her. She consented and said she 
would tell Mina of his intentions. Mr. Chase left. Soon 
Mina and Bessie comes home, and Mrs. Harper tells of Mr. 
Chase's visit and intentions. Mina laughed and said she 
would have to get on a stepladder to kiss him, as she j/eas- 
Lired the wall with yard stick, she says 6 feet and 6 inches, 
Mr. Chase is no match for me, thel boy I want to marry is 
just my size and nineteen years old. Two months later Mr. 
Chase calls again and asked Mrs. Harper's permission to 
take Mina for a ride. She consented. Mina never said a 
word while she was gone. Mr. Chase told Mrs. Harper 
about it, and after Mr. Chase left she was angry and said 
she had bought her wedding dress and lots of other fine 
clothes, and as she had been wearing her sister's old clothes 
and her mother's old shoes, she decided she would marry 
Mr. Chase and leave. A month passed. The day before 
her wedding day Mina visits old friends for the last time. 
Two girls came home with her and Mina sat on the sofa 
between them, their arms about her neck, and beg her to 
not marry, but its too late. They shed bitter tears. Next 
morning after breakfast, Mrs. Harper sends Mina up stairs 
to stay all day till she was dressed ready for the wedding. 
That evening she came down, the maid holding her trailing 
dress, and as she was looking over presents received, a tele- 
gram came, unsigned, saying to not let her daughter marry 
Mr. Chase. Mrs. Harper thought some girl of his sent it 
and passed it unnoticed. They march into the parlor be- 
tween two rows of potted plants and palms, led by the 
bride's brother Carl — 13 years eld) who held three lighted 
candles. The last word being said that made them mali 
and wife, the bride weeps, turns around to her mother. 
Then congratulations and reception, the rest dance gaily 
while the bride is sad. She cuts the wedding cake, takes 
her wadding ring and cuts round pieces and gives to the 

§9 



guest to dream) off of to see who they would marry, each 
piece wrapped in tissue paper. Bride and groom depart 
for depot. Reached destination, was met by grooms brother 
riding- in carriage driven by two white horses. Mrs. Chase 
met her mother-in-law, there was no other guest but an okl 
sweetheart of Mr, Chase's and of ail plain homes, Mina 
thought it the onliest. Two months pass, Mina was home- 
sick — sells her watch which was a vv^edding present for 
money to go home. She spends two months at her mothers 
and Mr. Chase goes down to see what w^as the matter, v/hcn 
he arrived that P. M. his wife and Bessie had gone to the 
beach, they missed the early boat home so took the next one 
that arrived at 11 :30 that night. They arrive from beach 
and J\lina goes to her room, cracks open the door, she saw 
some one was in her bed and runs up stairs to ask mother 
who it was. She said go and see, so she did and it was her 
husband. They returned to her husbai^d's home. One day 
Mina was down on her knees scouring nnd told her husband 
he told her mother that she wouldn't liave to do any drud- 
ery, says I wish Mama could see me now. He said, you've 
got it to take now. A man will promise anything to get a 
girl he wants. Later — a telegram came saying Mrs. Harper 
was dead. Mina's neighbors fixed h# up in their black 
dress and hat to attend funeral. As the coffin was opened 
for the last look Mina stood motionless, choked and could 
not cry. Bessie had hysterics, and Carl was silent, but later 
said as he looked at the corpse, he thought to himself, You 
won't beat me any more. Mina says, ''The saddest words 
of tongue or pen, is not what might have been, but what 
has been." 

Mina wore black two months and it made her deathly 
sick, so she put on colors at once. Mina spent several days 
at her old home visiting friends. During the time she spoke 
and wondered why there was no money in the chest — and 
Bessie replied that her mother paid out all the cash to the 
Doctor and other debts, and Mina never knew auy better. 
Three months pass, Bessie visits relatives and had wrote 
Mina to meet her there and said she would go home with 
her. Bessie needed some money, so wrote her old Jieigh- 

30 



bor to look 'Into the bible she left at \i&v house and get lier 
trunk key and look into hev trunk and get $5.00 and send 
it to her. This neighbor tells Bessie's brother to go in her 
trunk and get it, so he did and found all his mother 's money 
and jewelry, and writes Iviina about il, and Mina received 
letter and showed it to Bessie and sho» showed her the bogus 
will. While Bessie was spending several months at Mina's 
she found a note Bessie received from a young man that 
didn't sound nice, and got after Bessie about it — there was 
unpleasantness. One dsty they both go to the postoffice. 
Bessie has a letter in her hand behind her. She turns aside 
slightly and Mina spied it. It Avas to this young- man. She 
pretends sh^ is going to another town to work as clerk. 
She wasn't heard from in over three years, tho' three months 
after she left her sister's house, this man had told the news 
about her sisters disappearance and Mina thinking she was 
still in that town, went at once to bring her home with her, 
telling her husband if they didn't have much it would be a 
shelter from harm for her sister. But when she arrived in 
that city, she went to the Chief of Police and asked him to 
help her find he;:* sister. She puts a veil on and gets a col- 
ored Avoman to go with her to those dark places and in- 
quires, but of no avail. When she saw the Chief again, 
she was told that her sister had just left a day or two before. 
Mina was fagged out after the hunt was over and spent tiie 
night at the Chiefs house, leaving for home next morning 

and layed over three hours at E , awaiting to take 

another train, she spied her old sweetheart in overalls — 
face and hands very bla^k, as he was an engineer, and she 
waved at him. He spoke and says wait till I go Avash and 
I'll shake your hand. She says no, its time for my train. 
Train arrives, and as it stopped several minutes a drummer 
gets off the train and it Avas Bessie's old SAveetheart. Mina 
greets him and says let me make you acquainted Avith IMr. 

^ ^ , (the engineer) offers his hand but the 

drummer doesn't take it. Mina Avas indignant and says T 
want you to understand he is as good as you are and turns 
to the engineer, and tells him good-bye as he helped her on 
the train: The drummer talked to her on the train asking 

81 



where Bessie was. Bhe says you'll have to ask some oii(j 
else. He tips his hat and went in the smoker, as Mina says 
to him, "I haven't any use for spider legged dudes.'' 

After three years pass Bessie writes of her graduation at 

■ college and her grand success, and said 

she had such a grand husband and had a baby boy — ex- 
plaining that she wanted to be sure-footed before she wrote 
as she knew Mina wasn't able to care for her. A few weeks 
later Carl, who was yet in his teens, came to visit Mina, and 
saw how poor she was and gave an hours performance as 
trick bicycle rider, took up collection and gave it to his 
poor sister. Soon he is head stenographer in an exchange 
office at 19 years of age, and kept on until he got to the 
top of the ladder — and years later marries the grand- 
daughter of one of the Presidents of the United States. 

Five years later Bessie visits Mina and said Mina 's house 
wasn't as good as her horse stable. Mina says six feet of 
earth will make us all one size. Jesus was. born in a stable, 
and has promised to never forsake nor leave me, though all 
else should flee. 

Two years after Carl's marriage, he brings his wife to 
visit his poor sister and after they left, ]\Iina never re- 
moved the little glass in the kitchen that her brother hung 
up to shave by, and would not sweep up the ashes from his 
cigar that fell on the back porch, for she loved them, and 
kept them to look at after he was gone, until the wind 
swept them away; and the little glass still hangs in the 
same place — years after, for dear memory's sake, for he 
is all Mina has to love since her father and Elsie died. 

The End. 



32 



UNGRATEFUL WOMAN. 



(Copyrighted by M. MeD. Cobb, 1916.) 
A lawyer and his wife had a falling out, because she 
caught him in the kitchen with his arm about the cook's 
neck. She packs up some clothes and sheets, takes their 
two boys and two girls to another town, not telling him 
where she was goin. She took $50.00 with her as it was all 
she saw in his pocket. They arrive at a new town and visit 
a real estate agent and secure a cheap house on suburbs — a 
five room cottage. All the neighbors thought she was a 
widow. Their money. nearly out this woman sends for a 
neighbor to come over, as her children had visited there 
and were treated nicely. This lady comes to see what she 
wanted, but asked no questions. 1 went in — made myself 
acquainted. She was glad to see me — said I was the only 
neighbor she had seen that she wanted to meet and asked 
if I minded sending for a doctor. 1 told her I'd be glad to 
send one. The doctor came and left a little baby girl. She 
pretended that her 16 year old son was her only depend- 
ance. Baby died and is buried by charity. The little girls 
would come over and bring in wood for me, and sometimes 
borrow some and I shared my groceries with them, and 
loaned them money several times. The last she got which 
was all I hadj — she bought wood with it. Then my husband 
lost his job as another man took it cheaper. We moved to 

W and never heard of those people any more 

until one day at the Carnival ground I noticed a familiar 
face and waited until she got off the hobby horses. I spoke 
and asked if that wasn't Helen — she said it was. Said she 
had been attending the A. C. College. Next day I was 

surprised to see an account of Miss Helen ■ 

returning home on account of her father's death^ — the pa- 
per stated he was a wealthy lawyer. 

They all had gone back to their old home since I saw 
them. But they never have returned any money I ever 
loaned them, since they got possession of their fortune. 

The woman often made the remark that she would some 
day be a Cinderilla and so she was. "Only an abbreviation." 

33 



HOW BEKTHA AND BELA WERE EDtJCATED. 



(Copyrighted 1916 by M. McD. Cobb. 

Mr. King, a farmer, decided to move to town to please 
his daughters, and run a boarding house, which they 
thought would be just grand. As they w^ere poor and 
proud, they thought if they could just rent a fine looking 
house — nicer than they'd ever lived in before, they would 
get in swell society. They arrive in town and rent a 8 room 
house, bought lots of cheap furniture .second handed on the 
installment plan, but could not afford to buy felt mat- 
tresses. Mr. King goes after a load of straw — makes four 
mattresses. Every thing w^as in order. The girls run out 
on porch and rock! — Mr. King comes in with groceries — 
they put ,up a boarding house sign; here comes three men 
to get board, as they saw the pretty girls on the porch 
they decided to board there, they are accepted. They look 
at room, then leave and go up town and tell three more men 
about those pretty girls. They go to their boarding houses 
and tell lady of the house they will be out of town several 
days, and they go to Mr. King's and get board — and flirt 
with the girls, and making fun cf them behind their backs. 
A drummer stopped over night at Mr. King's, paid up next 
morning and left on train for next town and stopped at 

Hrs. Belo\s boarding house. He was telling ]\Irs. Belo what 
a bum boarding house he stayed at the night before. Mrs. 
Belo asked who kept the place, he says Mrs. King. Mrs. 
Belo says, go way, don't come here talking about my sis- 
ter, but he finally stopped with Mrs. Belo, and when he left 
he told another drummer that Mrs. King and Mrs. Belo 
were sisters and both kept bum boarding houses, and the 
bed bugs lifted him from one straw bed to the other. Mr. 
King goes to market, they refuse to trust him any more and 
his wife gets things on credit, as the market man thought 
she was some other Mrs. King. One of the boarders, de- 
cides to leave, and he takes a garment away every time he 
leaves until his trunk is empty. He then tak^s a hammer 

34 



and nails the trunk to the floor. He goes to Mrs. King and 
says I am going to leave town, but you keep my trunk 
(which was a cheap one) for what i owe you. Mrs. King 
says all right after she goes to his room and tries to lift the 
trunk. She couldn't and thought it w^as full of clothes. He 
was gone a month, so she decided to sell his trunk and 
clothes at auction. Mr. King has a drayman to go get the 
trunk, saying it was too heavy for one man to lift. They 
both pull at once and it came up and they both fell, they got 
up and looked into the trunk and found nothing but a 
piece of paper with April Fool w^ritten on it. They were 
dumb-founded. Next day another man came to get board. 
Mr. King told him about how the other man had done, and 
he replied that it was a shame and that he wouldn't do any 
one that w^ay. He was shomi his room, and sent for his 
trunk and took it; in the house, saying it most broke his, 
back— when it didn't have a garment in it, but Mr. King 
didn't know it. This boarder stole sheets, towels and blank- 
ets until he had his trunk full, pcyed up and left at the end 
of the week. Mr. King said he liked for folks to pay up 
like he did, until next day Mrs. King missed those sheets 
and blankets. A man came in that night for lodging and 
said he would pay in the morning as he would take break- 
fast there. He slips out before day with Mr. King's suit of 
clothes that were hanging in his room. Mr. King decides 
to move to another toAvn and does— everything is lovely. 
They get plenty of boarders, make lots of money, pays cash 
for a while, then everybody credits him for any amount 
after they get acquainted. His bills are larger and larger 
until they begin to wonder if he will pay. After a year of 
iuccess. Mr. King had saved up every cent he made m 
that town and had made arrangements to go to another 
towai (his daughters being expected from college every day) 
the sheriff wouldn't let him move his furniture. Mr. King 
swore he was not able to pay so they never did. 

Now Bertha and Bela are both employed as stenographers 
and are willing to quit boarding house business, so they re- 
tire from business, owing everybody, that would trust them, 

35 



p. S. The same drummer who stopped at Mr. King's two 
years before, meets him, and the drummer not knowing it 
was the same man, asked if Mr. King was still running a 
boarding house. Mr. King says : When did you get your 
whiskers crapped? 

The End. 



U6 



DID YOU CARE? 



(Copyrighted by M. McD. Cobb, 1916. 

Lillie watches for the mailman while her parents are at 
dinner. Father comes to door :o ask if mailamn had been. 
Lillie says, long ago. Father went back into the house. Lil- 
lie takes a seat behind the rosebush and waits for mailman. 
He comes with a letter for Lillie, saying, We elope on 7 :30 
train Wednesday night. Jack. 

Next day at school during recess Lillie sings out : 

Happy on the way, Happy on the way, 
Bless the Lord, I'm going to run away. 

Carrie says where are you going to run to? Lillie says 
you'll see between now and to-morrow. Lillie, after school 
steals out one dress at a time till her trunk was full, it was 
taken out empty and put behind rose bush. Trunk being 
ready her beau came by and took it to station. After sup- 
per Lillie says she will go next door for a few minutes — 
slips out and goes to depot and a friend saw her at the de- 
pot and went and told her father. Father goes to depot 
just as she had started to buy a ticket. He takes her' home 
and shuts her up in a room until he sends a telegram to 
Prof. Long Face at Boston, saying, he would arrive there 
next day with his daughter. They leave home — arrive a* 
Boston — go to the Aacademy. He tells Prof, in the presence 
of his daughter that she must not be allowed to receive let- 
ters or company. He then goes home. Shortly after Lillie 
asked Prof, permission to go up town. He consents, but 
calls the ugliest girl in school and tells her to go with Lil- 
lie up town and if she s.Deaks to a boy while she is gone re- 
port her to me and I'll punish her severely. They go — and 
at first corner met Lillie 's beau. He tipped his hat, but 
Lillie didn't speak. Next day he sent a note, asking why 
she didn't speak. Prof, got the note and kept it. A few 
days afterward Lillie was walking in the grove with an- 
pt)ier girl, The other girl's arm was around Lillie 's neck 

87 



and a handkerchief in her hand, and she waved it at a boy, 
who waved at her. The Professor thought it was Lillie 
Avaving and didn't allow her to go out next day. Several 
days later the Professor was sprinkling the lawn and saw 
Lillie and a boy talking with their backs to him. Professor 
turned the liose on them. The boy left and he tells Lillie she 
will have to go home. Lillie packs her trunk and leaves and 
arrives home and found her mother sick. Her mother 
thought Lillie had been sent for. A month later her father 
goes to the seashore to spend a month. Lillie 's beau re- 
turned and Lillie was playing tennis and he tells her he is 
going to ask her mother for her. He goes in — mother meets 
him. Lillie slips in and listens to see what her mother has 
to say. 

Did You Care 

He. If we go walking in the garden, would you care ? 

Girls Mother. No — No — go ahead. 

He. If I should ask her to be mine, would you care? 

Her Mother, es. Of course I care. 

He. Very well then, time proves all things. 

(The girl comes in. She had been peeping.) 

He (to the girl.) Well we will w^alk out and look at the 
flowers. They go, look around, take a seat behind the rose 
bush. He tells what he asked her mother and says : When 
the days grow long and the sky a golden hue, v/hat would 
I do without a girl like you ? 

She, (sadly) doesn't speak. 

He. If you cared and I dared, our thoughts would turn, 
as the world wheels round, out of the grayness of the blight 
I might ask, with irresistable tenderness, that would coax 
a heart of stone — regardless of your mother — Will you be 
mine? For win I must. 

She, (blushingly.) Oh! Johnnie, I can't, I don't love you 
enough. 

He. I'm not so sure. Its queer how things change. 

She. Well, you say its a woman's privilege to change 
her mind. 

He. If you'll only keep on changing it — once moro at 

38 



Least. There's something you're holding back. I can see. 

She shakes her head and says: I don't know — turning 
toward him she says — confidentially: They say you've 
stolen something. 

He. Great heavens — what is it — almost speechless. 

She. Taking him by the hand said: Let's go out on the 
[awn. They rise. She stood holding his hand to her cheek. 
He downcast looks into her eyes — a soft commotion stirred 
fier heart. 

He (watching discontentedly,) said: It must come out — 
suddenly she spoke and says: I'm going to tell you — re- 
gardless — because you ask it — as it is leap year anyway — 
y^ou've stolen — my heart — I did not know I loved you so. 
(They embrace.) 

He. I am not so sure, but I '11 ask again in leap year style, 
Would you be willing to spend your eternal days with my 
infernal ways? 

She smiles and nods assent. 

. He. Well dear, seal it with a kiss. (They kiss.) Her 
mother comes looking them — saw the kiss and runs up to 
them and says : Lord have mercy — what do you mean by 
kissing my daughter? 

He. It's my rights. 

She. "Well, I'll show you your rights — there's the road, 
LLOW beat it away from here and don't let me catch you 
around here any more. 1 

He. Well, madam, she has promised to be my wife, and 
if I see her again in this yard, she'll be mine. 

Her Mother. Well. I'll see. There's the road, now^ get! 
He goes. Mother takes girl by the hand back to the house, 
locks her up in room. When the supper was ready mother 
unlocks the door and lets her come to supper, and makes 
lier promise she won't let her catch her with him again. The 
girl promised, and says: You never will mother, if I can 
telp it. 

After supper the girl is in parlor playing piano and sing 
ing :— ' 

The roses and buttercups aU bloom and fade — 

39^ 



And so did my iieart when that promise 1 made. 
You said you would always be noble and true, 
Oh could I be so to you — but I 'm never to be, to be, 
I'm never to be your own. 

But remember when you thought that my heart was a 
stone — 

I was willing to be your own. 

He came by — heard her singing and stopped — came closer 
to the window. He whispers and says, Here are the license, 
come on — we won't let her catch us again until we come 
back. They married — came back at 9 P. M. riding — stopped 
in front of the girls house. He goes to the doorl — knocks — 
her mother goes to the door — he says, come out and meet 
my wife. I've just been married. (She hadn't missed the 
girl. She went to the carriage — saw who it was — was sur- 
prised and says to the girl, Its just as you said — I would 
not catch you any more — but its all right — come on and 
make yourselves at home. 

The End. 



40 



THE VERY POOR. 



(Copyrighter by M. McD. Cobb, 1916. 

He stays at home on Sunday to oil up his joints so he can 
be used next week by his boss, for ISunday don't count lor 
a poor man. He works o65 days in the year as near as pos- 
sible. He has to work harder for $1.00 a day than a rich 
man works to gain a hundred or possibly a tliousand. 

His wife washes, irons and tends the baby, cooks, scrubs, 
sweeps the house, sweeps the yard, does her own sewing, 
which is mostly calico and ginghams, all for a paupers 
right to live. She has no time for visiting. She has no 
company. She has no money to spend on shows. She has 
no amusement. It takes all her husband makes to pay rent, 
buy wood and grub, which is always the cheapest he can 
get. You can see out doors through the cracks of the door, 
and the ground through the cracks in the tioor. i<'or veri- 
ly they have no money to spend on carpets or comforts. He 
dies of pneumonia and goes to rest for the first time. The 
town has to bury him, which is the sting of death to "Sweet 
Charity." 

When his wife goes to church, she is gazed at with scorn, 
and if a rich woman happens to sit next to her, she at once 
gets up and hunts another seat. The poor woman is heart- 
broken at such treatment. The next Saturday she is in 
the garden hoeing and watering the tiowers and she hears a 
faint meow in a box of straw; she goes to it in a hurry — i 
pulled out the straw and in the bottom she found a poor 
little kitten about a day old. It was very cold and dirty. 
She runs in the house and gets a pan of warm water and 
washes it, gets a medicine dropper and feeds milk to the 
kitten ,and said to herself, even though I and my baby live 
in a common hut and sleep upon straw beds, I will be mer- 
ciful to a poor stray kitten. It shall not die hungry or 
cold. 

The next morning was Sunday. She didn't go to church, 

remembering her experience of the Sunday before. On 

Mnday she leaves her baby lying on a bed of straw, with 

its foot tied to the bed so it would not get off and get cold. 

41 



5he goes out to g etwork and can't find any, then she begs 
)eople passing by and they don't notice her, so she decides 
go to a large lonesome looking house, where there was 
>nly an old lady living alone. She knocks at the door and 
he woman comes to the door and invites her to go in and 
varm herself as she tells her story, asking for work. The 
(Id lady was touched by her pitiful story, and remembering 
vhat the good book says: He that cometh unto me I will 
n no wise cast out, and by the poor woman humbling her- 
ielf she was exalted, for the good woman put her arms 
iround her neck and says little woman, be of good cheer, 
^ou shall never want again. I have a plenty and to spare — 
ny home shall be thy home. The good woman wasted no 
ime — she goes home with the poor woman riding in an 
luto. When she reached the little home, the baby was 
Tying. The mattress it was lying on had caught fire, and 
hey got there just in time to save it, and there was al pic- 
ure on the wall that looked familiar and she asked the 
)Oor woman who it was. She said it was her grand-father, 
calling him; by name. The good woman with a surprise, 
laid, It was her brother, and srys : ' ' Our remnant is re- 
mited at last." They lift up their eyes and gave thanks 
;o God who heedeth even the sparrow's fall. 

The End. 



i^ 



THE STORY OF A GOOD WOMAN. 



(Copyrighted by M. McD. Cobb, 1916. 
Not once upon a time, but in this day and time,^ there 
are people so pessimistic and self centered, they don't even 
know anything good about their nearest neighbor, even af- 
ter 10 years of continuous residence. What would you 
think of an uneducated woman, of no refinement, only two 
doors from yourself, who has only been seen in passing and 
never been called on by yourself, should ask another worn- 
an of her own kind, if she knew any thing good about you? 
Well if she doesn't know anything good, there is only one 
reason for it— she, like the tramp, gets hers from the back 
door Let me tell you about this neighbor she asked about. 
There was a meeting at Lodge street church. When the col- 
lection was taken up this good woman gave half of what 
she had and still the preacher didn't have enough to pay 
his expenses and told the congregation and at the door as 
all had left the church, this woman goes and empties her 
purse and gives all she had, and no one ever knew of it; 
but as I want to follow the question- do you know any- 
thing good about this woman? I'll tell you some more. Fif- 
teen years ago she lived across the street from a ^ 
parsonage. She didn't have a cent in the world, and had 
just collected 25 cents for a garment she made for a woman. 
A poor beggar came to her door and showed his poor af- 
flicted arm, to let her know he wasn't able to work. This 
woman gave the quarter, all she had then he goes to the 
minister's house and was questioned for l^^\f/^./^,^^; ,^^^^^ 
was not helped to a penny. This woman sold ^H her best 
clothes and sewed for a store till she saved enough ^^^^^^^ 
her husband to Richmond for an operation. She continued 
to sew years after and one saintly old gentleman who had 
passed many times, seeing her at the window sewing, stop- 
Jed o inquire of h;r husbands health, asking where he was, 
He was told he had gone to the postoff ice. He asked if he 
went to the postoffice the same time every day. ^^e said he 
did He said he would drop in the same time next day and 
Sng very familiar, while she treated him with all kindness 

43 



because of his age, though he did not consider that was the 
cause. She steps to the heater-, pretending to fix the fire 
while she only smuts her fingers, and turned around famil- 
iar in return she patted him on the cheek and told him good 
bye, saying she would look for him the same time next day. 
When her husband came, she told him of being annoyed by 
this familiar old gentleman, and about him saying a good 
looking woman like her didn't have to sew, and asked her 
husband to be sure and be on hfnd the next day, which he 
did — and as the old gentleman came in and took a seat on 
the sofa, her husband arose from behind the sofa and shook 
his cane in the old man's face and told him to let it be the 
last visit to his house. Well, the next move was this : Her 
next door neighbor was sick in bed and she went over and 
cooked dinner every day for two weeks, for there were 4 
children and their father, besides their sick mother, and, 
after two weeks, this good woman was broken down and 
failed to go again. When they asked why she stayed away 
and asked if she was mad. The children were very rude 
too, and killed little chickens that belonged to this good 
woman, the only person who ever visited those poor neigh- 
bors or done any thing for them ; for vvhich she never re- 
ceived a word of thanks or a favor in return. Then again, 
there was a new neighbor, a widow (they thought) with 4 
children. The oldest child was a boy 14 years old, The}^ 
seemed awful hard up, but showed that they had seen bet- 
ter days. They were very refined, and lived in seclusion 
mostly. The children played in front of this good woman's 
house in preference to any other, and were often spoken to 
by her. One day this widow sent for her to come to see her 
and she went. She asked her to please send for a doctor, 
which she did, and soon there was just one more in the 
family — but lived only three weeks, and it was buried by 
charity. Well this good woman waited on the sick here, 
and shared groceries with the widow and gave her all the 
money she had to buy a load of w^ood. Shortly afterwards 
this good Avoman moved away to another town and two 
years later saw this widow's oldest daughter in the same 
town, though she had grown wonderfully fast, she recog- 

44 



lized her, and asked her if she had moved here. She said 
ihe was attending the A. C. College. I wondered how it 
lappened, but asked no questions, when next day the daily 

)aper stated that Miss H — Hj ^-^, daughter of Mr. 

[) H , who was a prominent lawyer of H , 

lad returned home to attend her father's funeral — and 
'ound out later that this supposed widow was only sepa- 
■ated after a quarrel with her husband, taking all the chil- 
Iren with her and lived several months apart, and since she 
las come in possession of her fortune, she never has paid 
)ack any money this poor, good woman gave her. Selah ! 

Well, some time later this good woman accepted a posi- 
ion in a store and done her household duties besides — she 
v^orked over a year and saved her money, except now and 
hen, but mostly now than then, she would help every beg- 
•■ar that came into the store. One day a man came begging 
vho had lost both legs. Her employer asked why she want- 
id to help a man who might have a fortune somewhere. She 
iays, well I have two good legs and he hasn't any leg at all. 

On her way to dinner she saw a blind negro, and she gave 
lim a dime, and has never failed many times to give him 
omething or else she won't pass him without a silent pray- 
ir, for she said it made her heart ache to see a helpless blind 
)erson on the street. One night she took a poor neighbors 
laughter to the movies, who was not able to buy a ticket, 
Lud as this good woman sat in the show, a man leaned over 
ind says to her, I wish I were as good as you. She asked 
lim why. He replied and said : Every time I see you on the 
treet, you are giving money to som'e blind man or cripple. 
k.nd she said: A silent prayer as you pass them, will do 
^ou good if you can't give — you can ask God's blessing on 
ill unfortunate people whenever you pass one — bless others 
md God blesses you in return — money isn't all. 

The End. 



45 



I 



